Device for treating liquids



June 2, 1936. s. A. KRAUSE DEVICE FOR TREATING LIQUIDS Filed June 7, 1953 0 v wi l Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,042,534 DEVICE FOR TREATING LIQUIDS Georg Alexander Krause, Munich, Germany, as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Katadyn Inc.,

New York, N. Y., acorporation of Delaware Application June 7, 1933, Serial No. 674,722 In Germany June 7, 1932 14 Claims. (Cl. 204) This invention relates to apparatus for the oligodynamic treatment of liquids in vwhich oligodynamically active metal is supplied to the or it may contain the necessary current source in the form of a suitable battery.

20 The electrodes which are to be inserted into dynamically active metal, for example, silver or copper. A switch may be provided in the base or holder for changing the polarity of the electrodes.

In one embodiment of the invention, the switch may be in the form of a rotatable sleeve disposed on the holder or base, or an additional base memher may be provided to serve as an element of respectively on the opposed faces of the base or holder members carrying the electrodes and the sleeve, or on the additional base member, as the case may be.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the base or holder member carrying the electrodes or the movable element of the switch may be disposed within a sleeve or casing, and in the latter may also be housed a source of electric current, preferably in the form of a dry battery. A cap or cover which cooperates with the base or holder may be provided for enclosing the electrodes when not in use. The entire apparatus including the source of current is thus contained in a casing or envelope and forms a unit which is simple in its construction and convenient in its operation.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a device having a separate base or holder member carrying the electrodes, and a separate energy source con- 5 nected thereto;

Fig. 2 shows the invention carried out in the form of a conveniently manipulated pocket sterilizer.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 3-3 10 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 illustrates the arrangement of the device mounted on a supporting frame.

Referring to the drawing, the electrodes which may both consist of oligo-dynamically active 15 Fig. 4 the holder or base may also be mounted on a frame l6 made of suitable material, preferably The container or envelope IQ of the current source is used in the illustrated structure 30 as one pole, while the other pole is formed as a central electrode 20. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the energy source is connected to the base or holder of the sterilizer means by a flexible conductor 2|. 36 In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the base or holder comprising the members I3, 23 is the bases 23 and I3. Th sleeve 22 is, consequently, electrically connected to the container or housing 21 and to the shell I9 of the dry cell I8. A counter-contact 30 associated with the base member 23 is in electrical contact with the central electrode 20 of the cell I8, a conductor 3| leading from said counter-contact 30. The conductors 26 and 31 are connected with cup-like contacts 34, 36 and corresponding conductors maintain connection with contacts 35, 31, shown in Fig. 3. These contacts are provided on the face of the base member 23 opposite the adjacent face of the base or holder member I3. Contact balls such as 42 and 43 are pressed against these contacts by means of the springs such as 40 and 4| which are disposed within the bushings 54 and 55 in the holder or base I3. The bushings 54 and 55 are made of conductive material and are connected to the electrodes II and I2 by means of conductors 58 and 59. In order to retain the members I3 and 23 in engagement with the sleeve 22, these members, as will be seen from Fig. 2, are provided with annular grooves 53 and 64. The sleeve 22 is secured to the base member 23 by means of an internal annular constriction 58 which engages the annular groove 53, while the groove 64 on the holder or base member I3 is in loose engagement with the annular constriction 51 provided in the sleeve. By rotating the holder member I3 and displacing the corresponding contacts by an angle of the polarity of both electrodes may be reversed. In this manner a uniform wear of the electrodes is attained when using the sterilizer.

In order toensure a proper contact between the central electrode 20 and the counter-contact 30, a spring 10 is arranged beneath the cell I8 within the bottom closing cap II, which may easily be removed for inserting a new cell. A cover I2 is provided for closing the device.

The operation of the novel device is as follows:

If a dry cell of 52 mm. in length, 14 mm. in diameter and a voltage of 1.5 volts is employed, and if the size of each electrode of the sterilizer is assumed to be 5 cm. and the electrodes are spaced apart 3 mm., the quantity of metal, dissolved per second in one litre of water to be treated, at a current of 4 milliamperes, amounts to 2 gamma of silver. It is, consequently, possible to supply 360 gamma of silver to a litre of water during a period of interaction of seconds. The quantity of energy required amounts, consequently, to 12 ma./min. The water will appear slightly bluish, indicating according to experience, that a suillcient quantity of metal has passed into the water for effecting its sterilization.

According to the above-described discharge the following conditions result for the life of the battery: At the end of 4 hours and a half the current decreases from 3 ma. at a voltage of 1.3 volts to 2 ma. After 20 hours and a half the current decreases to 1.3 ma., after 28 hours and a half it decreases to 1 ma. The battery is, consequently, capable to supply approximately 2,640 ma./min. If the above-mentioned 12 ma./min. are assumed to be sufllcient for introducing into one litre of water the necessary amount of metal, it follows that with the dry cell of the noted type 230 litres of water can be treated.

The voltage of the battery may be easily determined by the use of a small incandescent lamp which is held in contact with both electrodes and which may be structurally combined with the device.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device for effecting the oligo-dynamic treatment of liquids comprising, electrodes, a holder for said electrodes, 9. source of current having a central electrode and a switch associated with said holder, said electrodes being embedded in said holder at one end thereof and a counter-contact arranged in said holder at the opposite end being in engagement with said central electrode to render said electrodes electrically conductive through said source of current.

2. A device for elfecting the oligo-dynamic treatment of liquids comprising, electrodes, a holder composed of two base members having annular grooves at the adjacentends thereof, contacts disposed between said base members, a tubular sleeve arranged around said base members having annular constrictions engaging said grooves on said base members so as to permit a rotation of one base member with respect to the other and an energy source, said holder being electrically connected to said source to supply oligo-dynamically activating substances to said liquid by said electrodes.

3. A. device for effecting the oligo-dynamic treatment of liquids comprising, electrodes, a holder comprising two members, one of said members being rotatable with respect to the other, means for reversing the polarity of said electrodes, a dry battery, said holder being electrically connected to said battery to supply oligodynamically activating substances to said liquid by said electrodes, and a tubular member having at one end thereof a' removable cover and con taining the rotatable member of said holder, said battery and said means.

4. A device for effecting the oligo-dynamic treatment of liquids comprising, electrodes, a holder for said electrodes, including two members, an energy source, means for reversing the polarity of said electrodes, said holder being electrically connected to said source to supply oligodynamically activating substances to said liquid by said electrodes, a tubular member having at one end thereof a removable cover and containing one of said members, said battery and said means, and a cover enclosing said electrodes.

5. A device for effecting oligodynamic treatment of liquids comprising, a holder, treatment electrodes arranged on said holder, at least one of said electrodes consisting of an oligodynamicall active material, a source of current and an envelope therefor, and means including said envelope and said holder for connecting said current source to said electrodes for effecting the supply of oligodynamically activating substances to said liquid.

6. A pocket device for efiecting oligodynamic treatment of liquids comprising, in combination, a holder, treatment electrodes for insertion into said liquid cooperating with said holder, an envelope for said holder including a source of current, means including said envelope for conmeeting said source of current to said holder and to said electrodes for effecting the transfer said holder for reversing the polarity of said electrodes.

8. A device for effecting oligodynamic treatment of liquids comprising, treatment electrodes for insertion into said liquid, a common holder for said electrodes, a dry battery forming a source of current for said electrodes, and a tubular envelope for receiving said holder and said dry battery.

9. In a pocket device for effecting oligodynamis treatment of liquids, a dry battery, a housing therefor including means at one end thereof for removing said battery, a holder and contact means thereon disposed within said housing and engaging one pole of said battery, electrodes on said holder arranged for insertion into said liquid, means connecting said electrodes with said contact means and said pole of said battery,

and means including said housing for connecting said electrodes with the other pole of said battery to supply current to said electrodes.

10. A pocket device for efiecting oligodynamic treatment of liquids comprising, a holder forming a handle for manipulating said device, electrodes arranged on said holder, contacts on said holder and connecting means extending from said contacts to said electrodes, an envelope for said holder, a source of current disposed in said envelope, and means including said source of current and said envelope for supplying current to said contacts for activating said electrodes to supply oligodynamically activating substances to said liquid.

11. A device for treating liquids by supplying thereto oligodynamically activating substances comprising, a holder and electrodes consisting of oligodynamically active metal connected therewith, an auxiliary holder arranged in axial alignment with said first holder, contact means disposed between said holders, a tubular sleeve embracing said holders and securing the connection therebetween, a tubular envelope for receiving said sleeve, a dry battery disposed within said envelope, means for connecting said battery with said holder for supplying current to said electrodes, and a cover for attachment to said sleeve for enclosing said electrodes.

12. A device for effecting oligodynamic treatment of liquids comprising, treatment electrodes for insertion into said liquid, a common holder for said electrodes, a battery forming a source of current for said electrodes, and an envelope for receiving said holder and said battery.

13. A device for efiecting oligodynamic treatment of liquids comprising, treatment electrodes, a holder for said electrodes, electrical poles arranged on said holder and in contact with said electrodes, said electrodes, holder and poles forming a manipulative unit, at least one of said electrodes consisting of an oligodynamically active metal, a source of current, and means for connecting said current source to said poles for eifecting the supply of oligodynamically activating substances from said electrodes to said liquid.

14. A device for effecting oligodynamic treatment of liquids comprising, a plurality of electrodes for insertion into said liquid, at least one of said electrodes comprising oligodynamically active material, a holder for said electrodes, a source of current, contact means carried by said holder for energizing said electrodes from said source of current to efl'ect the transfer of oligodynamically activating material into said liquid, and an envelope for receiving said holder, said electrodes and said source 01' current and forming therewith a structural and functional manipulating unit.

GEORG ALEXANDER KRAUSE. 

